Used to

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Used to

Sophie is working closer to home this week. She’s in London and she has a surprise for Oliver and Daisy.

Instructions

As you watch the video, look at the examples of used to. They are in red in the subtitles. Then read the conversation below to learn more. Finally, do the grammar exercises to check you understand, and can use, used to.

We use used to + verb for talking about states or actions that were true or happened in the past, but are not true or do not happen now.

Can you give me some examples?

Yes, of course.

London’s nothing like it used to be!
She used to go away on really long trips.

OK. So now she doesn’t go away on really long trips?

Exactly. Used to is always for talking about actions or states in the past that are not true now.

The record shop I always used to visit is now a really cool café. (I don’t visit the place now.)

Why can’t you use the past simple?

Well, you can, of course. But we use used to to emphasise that the state or action is not true now or does not happen now.

What about the negative?

We use do in the past + not + the infinitive, use to + verb. The question is formed in a similar way.

He didn’t use to wear nice clothes and recently he’s been looking quite cool.
So what else did you use to go to London for?

That’s quite a long construction – three verbs!

Yes, but used to doesn’t change – it’s always in the past simple.

Always in the past simple? So you can’t use it in the present?

No, it’s a strange verb. We only use it in the past.

I think I used to use it in the present too.

Oh dear. You won’t any more, will you?

No, I didn’t use to know the rules, but now I do.

Check your grammar: gap fill

Check your grammar: grouping

Check your grammar: gap fill typing

Worksheets and downloads

Transcript

Transcript:

Oliver: Where’s Mum?Daisy: I don’t know. She called earlier and said she’d call back. She wants to speak to us both.Oliver: Did she sound happy or serious?Daisy: Happy.Oliver: Is she finally going out with your headteacher?Daisy: Ha! I’m not sure, but I think they’ve been seeing each other for a while. He didn’t use to wear nice clothes, and recently he’s looking quite cool.Oliver: I wonder if she’ll start travelling less.Daisy: Maybe. She used to go away on really long trips and these days it’s maximum a week.Oliver: Oh! Hi, Mum! Are you in London? Sophie: Yes! Surprise!Oliver: Are you writing about London?!Sophie: Yes, I am! I’d forgotten how amazing it is … and it’s near home.Oliver: Haha. So … do you have more reasons to stay near home these days?Sophie: No … like what?Daisy: Never mind.Sophie: I just thought that I’m always abroad, but we’ve got one of the most interesting cities in the world just an hour from home and I’ve never even written about it! So here I am. I haven’t been here to visit for years. It’s nothing like it used to be! The record shop I always used to visit is now a really cool café specialising in bubble tea!Oliver: So what else did you use to go to London for?Sophie: For fun. For concerts and to buy new clothes … but it didn’t use to be as busy as it is now. I love what they’ve done on the South Bank. I hadn’t seen the London Eye close up before, and the Tate Modern’s an impressive building with great views of the bit that used to be the docks.Oliver: So is it all so different?Sophie: No, not completely. The area near the river is very different, but the West End hasn’t changed much. The theatres are still great and Piccadilly Circus looks a little different than it used to, but it’s still a meeting place and the lights are still there, but … I like the new London! So …Daisy: Yes?Sophie: I’ve booked hotel rooms for the three of us for this weekend, so you can get to know London a bit better. Oliver and Daisy: Cool! Wow!Sophie: I’ll book your train tickets now and call you back in an hour or so. OK?Oliver and Daisy: OK! All right!

Discussion

Comments

When I was little I used to play video game especially play station.It was attractive game for every children.But now I don't play any more.I also used to shy whenever my mum next to me.Mum leave next to me.I talk a lot with friend.Nowadays I talk a lot .It doesn't matter who is surrounded me.

I used to be shy whenever I spoke with teachers at school and my parents' visitors to my house. I used to play outside, which got me out of it. I'm still shy actually. I've changed a bit, I learned how to hide my shyness. People never seem to be aware of my effort...
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Sentence 1 emphasises that it was all in the past, and you have stopped playing with Lego. You don't do that any more in the present.

Sentence 3 also emphasises that you have stopped playing with Lego, but by using a phrase ("when I was younger").

Sentence 2 doesn't emphasise that you have stopped. You may or may not have stopped - the meaning is not specific. If you only see that sentence without any context, it could mean that you played with Lego earlier today and you still regularly play with Lego.

I'm going to tell you how I've changed compared to when I was little. When I was a child I used to dream of running a shop of biscuits, toffees, candies and lolly pops etc. and used to get surprised over why the shopkeepers didn't eat the delicious things in the shop themselves, and how they could stop themselves from eat them up? In fact, I didn't use to hate any food and same is the case with me now. I used to have a lot of free time when I was a child while we keep busy for most of the time now. In the childhood, we used to play different types of games whose English names are not known to me, but now we hardly find any time for a walk even. we used to write on wooden plates in the school and now we prefer to type on computer than writing with a pen on a paper. Life has changed a lot. then we used to be care-free but now we are surrounded by worries about our future. I think It's enough for today because recollections from childhood may make us upset. we shouldn't think more about it rather we should concentrate on our present day challenges to prepare ourselves for a bright future. you'll get surprised over what the talk has started about and where I took it. anyway, enjoy the sweet memories from your past. Have a nice time, you all !

I used to eat beans once,until I threw them up ,because I was really sick. Since then I've never tried them again.Also when I was little I didn't use to eat okra,but now I am totally in love with that food. It is strange how much our tastes change as the years pass by.